Of exchanges and illusions
by xMercury07x
Summary: When Stefan goes missing, a worried Elena calls Damon for help. Begrudgingly, Bonnie and Damon team up to investigate while Stefan, stuck in an alternative universe, tries to figure out what happened… Bamon,Stelena COMPLETE


******Here's my first Bamon one shot^^. I don't know yet, but I might just end up writing a sequel for it one day… I did my best to stay true to the characters (hope they're not OOC!). Sorry in advance if I've made any mistake, as English isn't my first language. **

**Please tell me what you think, and enjoy^^**

**Synopsis: When Stefan goes missing, a worried Elena calls Damon for help. Begrudgingly, Bonnie and Damon team up to investigate while Stefan himself tries to figure out what happened…**

**Words: ~7.5K**

**Pairings: Bamon, Stelena**

******Disclaimer: I don't own TVD or any of its characters.  
**

**Of exchanges and illusions**

"Stefan, honey, wake up…" a female voice whispered.

The youngest Salvatore groaned. He was just so tired, he wanted to sleep some more… He protested with a mumble and buried his head under a pillow.  
"I know Tanner really stepped up the team's preparations and that you're probably exhausted between practice and school, as it's our senior year, but please get up… We have an English test today. I've already made you breakfast and we need to get going if we don't want to be late for school," Elena softly said.  
At her words, Stefan turned and sat up.  
"Tanner?" The history teacher and football coach had passed away about a year ago, he'd been one of his older brother's first victims. "Isn't he… dead?" he confusedly asked.  
"Stefan!" his girlfriend giggled. "I know Tanner is kind of a pain, but wishing him dead is a bit harsh!"  
The Salvatore simply smiled. Something was off here… It was as if past facts had changed. A teacher that had been dead before was alive now… Did that mean Alaric never came to town here? Had other things been changed? Elena's voice brought him back to the present moment.

"Your breakfast awaits you, sir!"

* * *

Bonnie Bennett unceremoniously sneezed, and instantly the room's lights went out. She groaned. She'd woken up that morning with a sore throat, an on/off blocked nose and incessant sneezes. A common cold was usually no problem for Bonnie, she'd just drink more hot beverages for a few days and it would pass, but this was not your usual cold: it'd made her powers go haywire.

Within minutes of waking up, she'd broken her alarm clock with a sneeze and shattered her bathroom's mirror with a touch. With no way to control her magical outbursts, Bonnie decided to stay home. While he knew about her gift, her father wasn't exactly fond of magic and didn't really acknowledge his daughter's Bennett heritage, so Bonnie was relieved when she didn't sense his presence. His car was gone and so was the suitcase that usually sat at the foot of his bed. He'd been home the past weekend and had promised to spend the week home to have some quality time with her. _Another broken promise_, she sadly reminded herself. She loved her father, she really did, but over the years she'd learned that his work would always take precedence over her, and to never show disappointment when her dad didn't keep his word. _Well… at least the cold didn't choose to appear in a rare moment when he's there._

After a simple and quick breakfast –a mug of hot tea and biscuits- , she turned to Emily's grimoire to find out what was going on with her. This wasn't the first time she'd gotten sick after becoming a witch, and as far as she knew, her magical problem wasn't normal. As she turned the ancient pages, Bonnie's hope dwindled, but a small note caught her eye: "Witch's cold: symptoms of a cold and no power control; passes naturally within forty eight hours." Directly below it, in a smaller, almost shameful script, was an additional piece of information: "Vampire blood partially cures it." _Ha!_, she thought. She'd never turn to vampires unless it was really needed. Patience would have to do. Yawning, Bonnie went back to bed after taking medicine that would help for a regular cold. _Couldn't hurt…_

At the other side of the small but lively town of Mystic Falls, Elena Gilbert was worried. The pretty brunette's boyfriend was not attending classes today, as he usually would. Any other girl would automatically think he'd been sick or had simply ditched school for the day, but neither option was like Stefan. He'd promised her he'd regularly attend class –especially after his little road trip with Klaus- and had even texted her that morning. _Morning Beautiful, can't wait to see u in class, _he'd sent. He definitely had intended to go to school, and not much could stop him from doing that, as he was a vampire. She'd called him numerous times since classes had started for the day, but Stefan hadn't picked up his phone. Wandering to her next class, phone in hand, Elena made a decision she would perhaps regret later, but at the moment the most important thing on her mind was Stefan. So in hopes to find one Salvatore she called another.

"My dearest Elena, I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away from me," Damon greeted her.  
"This isn't the time to joke, Damon," she curtly replied. "Stefan is missing, and he was supposed to meet me in class." She let out a breath.  
"Maybe he got tired of your face, considering you and his last girlfriend share the same one… Just saying," Damon said. Elena stayed silent the next few seconds.  
"I'm seriously worried for him," she said. Damon could already see the tears from where he was and rolled his eyes. "Ditching people is not like him. I looked for Bonnie but I think she was absent today. I was supposed to see Stefan three hours ago… Something's wrong, Damon," she pleaded.  
"Okay, okay," he relented with a sigh. "I'm going to investigate. But if Steffie turns out be having the time of his life at a strip club I'm not stopping him."  
"Thank yo-"  
Damon hung up. Stefan, his boring emo little brother, couldn't just not bother him with his business, could he? Not only did he lead a life without any fun, but he also tried to give the same treatment to his brother's. Damon was mostly annoyed, but he was also the slightest bit worried. He knew his brother was a bunny-eating _gentleman_ who wouldn't just disappear without any words or explanation, especially in the unsafe environment that was Mystic Falls. This town was like a magnet for the supernatural… Speaking of the supernatural, he had to go make his first stop. _Time to pay a visit to Sabrina._

Bonnie was peacefully dreaming of a mean crow bullying a cute little bunny when the doorbell woke her up. She glanced at the clock on her wall. _11.45_. It was still too early for the visitor to be one of her friends. She grabbed a tissue as she made her way to the door and blew her nose as she opened it.

"Hi Judgy," Damon Salvatore smiled. His grin was obviously fake.  
"What do you want?" This day couldn't get any better. She had a running nose, her throat hurt, she was tired and sick, her magic was rebelling… and now Damon Salvatore was at her doorstep.  
"Stefan's missing and I need you to find him with your witchy powers," he said. Damon took in the young witch's appearance. Cute pink pajamas, red nose, tissue in hand…  
"You are sick," he stated.  
"Thank you, the headache and running nose hadn't made their point," she grumbled.  
Seeing the all-powerful judgy witch in this state, so weak and so human, somehow elated him. _Not so strong now, are we? _  
Bonnie suddenly sneezed and the light bulb directly above him exploded.  
"What the…" Damon almost cursed. "Did you do that on purpose?" He looked at her and she simply smiled, as if to say "You deserved it". But he could see through her lie and had seen this phenomenon before.  
"You have a witchy cold," he accused. Bonnie lost her smile. "You can't locate Stefan in this state…" he thought aloud.  
"Let me in," he ordered.  
"No," she countered. "This is my house and I won't let you step a foot in it. I wouldn't be surprised if you tried to kill me in my sleep, or even hurt my dad! I'm not stupid." The need to blow her nose lessened the impact of her words.  
_Cute_, Damon found himself thinking. She looked tiny and, dare he say, adorable… though that nose blowing was a bit gross.  
"I promise not to hurt you or your father…" She didn't hide her surprise.  
"… in your house," Damon finished. He wouldn't hurt her at all with no reason, but he had a reputation to uphold. If Stefan was the good vampire, he was the bad one, the villain.  
Contrary to popular belief, Damon didn't exactly hate Bonnie Bennett. Sure, the little thing was judgy and never hesitated to make her disapproval of him known -sometimes very painfully- but at least she was honest with him and he respected her for that. His charm and seductive smiles didn't work on her and she saw through him. She also followed her own principles and protected her friends despite the fact that it would be easier for her not to. Deep, very deep down inside, he kinda admired her for that, even though it also made her incredibly stupid. No, he really would rather not kill Bonnie Bennett.  
"Bonnie, I wouldn't use this invitation to hurt you or your father," he tried to convince her. His blue eyes met Bonnie's gaze and he hoped she'd see truth in his words. Bonnie didn't say anything and they just looked at each other for a moment.  
"Okay," she conceded. "I'll trust you this one time. Break your promise and I'll break you," she warned him. Damon simply nodded. "Come in."

When Damon Salvatore walked into his frenemy's home for the first time, he didn't feel any different, but it had perhaps something to do with her threat that hung up in the air. The walls were a light brown and photographs of the witch that were taken as she grew up were proudly displayed. Bonnie's home didn't look much lived in though: not a thing was out of place, there was not even the smallest sign of a human being's presence except for Bonnie herself.

"Your dad's not here?" he needlessly asked. The only heartbeat in the house was Bonnie's.  
"Work," Bonnie explained.  
They both entered the living room in silence.  
"You can sit down if you want," she awkwardly gestured to the sofa.  
"Er, thanks." This moment was surreal. What was next, a cup of tea? A small smirk appeared on his lips at the thought.  
"So…" Bonnie said to fill the silence.  
"My brother was absent this morning after sending a text to Elena that insinuated he'd be there. Something happened between the moment he left for class and when they started," he explained.  
"I'm sorry but as you said, I can't locate Stefan in this state, I have no control over my powers right now," she began. "I've been sick since this morning, and the cold lasts no more than forty eight hours…"  
"You want me to wait two days?!" Damon exclaimed. "We can't! A lot can happen in two days, _Bon Bon_. There has to be something to quicken the process, some kind of cure!"  
Bonnie stayed silent but her gaze betrayed her: at Damon's words her eyes strayed to the dining table that was a few meters away, and that was all it took. Bonnie ran to the open grimoire but Damon was already reading it, he'd reached it in the blink of an eye.

"So there_ is_ a cure…" he pointedly looked at the brunette. "And it's none other than vampire blood, which we happen to have _plenty_ of!"  
Bonnie sighed.  
"I don't want to drink vampire blood for a sickness that can be healed with _patience_! I'd rather not drink it at all, but if it were to happen, it would only be because I have no other choice, Damon!" she cried out.  
"But the thing is, you DON'T have a choice, Judgy! Do you want Stefan to die? I'm sure you'd love to explain that to Elena… You know, your _best friend_?" He spat out the last two words.  
"How dare you?" she said with a low voice. "I don't want anyone to be hurt, but there has to be someone else who could help you… You must know another witch who could do the job, we're only talking about a locator spell!" At her outburst, the flat screen cracked.  
"But I don't!"  
The young witch sent him a disbelieving look.  
"Okay, I do!" he admitted with raised hands. "But –and don't make me repeat it- you're the best person for this job! Sure, you screw up sometimes, but you're not that bad of a witch, and we trust you." _I trust you_. He let out a small cough at the unsaid words. "_Elena_ trusts you to save Stefan."  
Bonnie stayed silent. She'd never seen Damon be so open about his emotions, and he had –albeit begrudgingly, complimented her. She'd made up her mind when his blue eyes locked on her dark ones, and she saw his lips move.  
"Please help Stefan." _Help me.  
_"Okay," she simply said.  
"_Thank you_," he breathed. He knew Bonnie was doing him, or rather Stefan and Elena, a huge favor, considering the spell didn't have to come from her. And the fact that he'd attacked her during her possession by Emily. And the many times they butted heads.  
Even after knowing her for more than a year, the young Bennett still managed to surprise him, and when she sent him a small but genuine smile Damon felt like he was seeing her for the first time. She always scowled in his presence, but at that moment he didn't see any of her dislike for him. Damon maintained his cool façade and spoke.

"Let's do this."

* * *

Having no idea of what was exactly happening, how things were in this altered reality, Stefan had followed Elena's lead that morning and had been getting surprise after surprise, the first one being that he was no longer a vampire. His mind still reeling from the turn of events, he was going to follow Elena outside, in the sun, when he abruptly stopped. His daylight ring was missing and he needed to turn back and look for it, but Elena took his hand and dragged him outside. Nothing happened. Elena said there was no time and went to the driver's seat of her blue Ford Escape, not seeing his startled expression. He then sat beside her, in a daze, and a minute later decided to look for Bonnie when they'd be at school. Surely the young witch would be able to help him…  
Alas, as luck would have it, Bonnie Bennett was nowhere to be seen. Stefan desperately searched for her brown locks and small frame in the hallways of the Mystic Falls High School, and later the cafeteria at lunchtime, but to no avail. As he ate with Elena, who was as beautiful and kind in this reality as in the other, he finally decided to ask.

"Where's Bonnie?"  
"Stefan, are you all right?" she answered with a question. At Stefan's small frown, she continued. "She's skipped a grade and graduated early. She goes to Whitmore but with the way things are happening, I don't know what she's going to do the rest of the year…"

Elena's words only fueled Stefan's curiosity, but he decided not to push for more details. Elena's guidance was a godsend and he didn't want her to think her was a weirdo, even though she wasn't exactly his Elena.

Stefan silently suffered through the rest of the day and found out that Alaric Saltzman also taught at the high school and things were the way they would have been if there were no harmful supernatural presences in the small town: "Uncle" Zack was on a vacation, Vicki Donovan was alive and neither of Caroline or Tyler was a vampire or hybrid. Caroline was actually dating Matt, as her relationship with Tyler had been a product of their shared experiences as supernatural beings, and according to the smiles he'd seen them exchange, Tyler and Vicki were together. On the other end of the cafeteria, Jeremy was laughing with friends as he ate. Through their small talk, Stefan also discovered that Miranda and Grayson Gilbert were alive and well, as was Jenna Sommers. There had been no car accident or sacrifice, no ritual, no curse or Klaus. Everything was peaceful here and people seemed happy…  
When Elena gave him a ride home, he smiled her his thanks and was stunned with a quick kiss on the cheek. They exchanged "see you tomorrow"s and Stefan stayed to see her car safely drive away. It's only when he turned that he saw Damon's Camaro neatly parked beside his red Porshe.  
The blue vintage car hadn't been there that morning, just like its owner. Maybe Damon would be able to help, though Stefan doubted that since everyone seemed to believe this was reality… He really counted on Bonnie, as her magic might have prevented her from being altered or given her some insight. He decided to call her after seeing if that Damon really wouldn't be able to give him a hand and walked into the Salvatore Boarding House.  
He honestly should have gotten used to surprises by that time of the day, and yet once again he was stunned by the sight he met in the living room.

Stefan's last hope was very pregnant and kissing Damon Salvatore.

* * *

_"Let's do this."_

At Damon's words, Bonnie nodded and slowly let out a breath. _Witchy is nervous_, the dark-haired vampire noted. He took off his leather jacket and pulled up the right sleeve of his black shirt. Sighing, he put a hand on the young witch's shoulder and looked her in the eyes.

"It will be alright," he softly said. "I will protect you and make sure you don't become a vampire."  
He'd just voiced her innermost fear. How did Damon Salvatore know her so well? He knew exactly what to say to reassure her… She closed her eyes and took a calming breath. _Everything will go smoothly, just think of Stefan that needs your help…_

"I'm ready," she finally said. She then saw Damon nod and transform. She'd never seen his vampire face from this close and in such calm circumstances. For the first time, the black eyes and inhuman veins didn't mean danger. Damon looked at her, as if to give her a moment to take in his vampire features and make sure she wouldn't change her mind. Bonnie acknowledged the small gesture and sent him a small smile. Looking at him, Bonnie found that the transformation hadn't changed Damon's expression that much. As unexpected as it was, she trusted him. The vampire sent her a toothy grin and bit his own wrist. When the bleeding wound was made, he transformed back and gently held out his hand.  
Bonnie took it, carefully brought the open wound to her lips and sipped. She tried not to think of what she was drinking and thought of Stefan, Elena and most of all Damon. All the people she was doing this for. As she drank, her headache dwindled into nothingness and her breathing cleared. The stuffy nose also disappeared and she felt incredibly better. She stopped drinking and let go of Damon's hand. He had a look on his eyes she'd never seen before.  
Over the years, he'd fed his blood many times for different reasons, but never had he thought he'd share such a personal moment with Bonnie Bennett of all people. Seeing Bonnie drink his blood made him feel impossibly close to her, and it felt as if she was letting him witness an intimate moment. He'd tried hard not to think of the softness of her lips or the warmth of her breath. Eyes peacefully closed and willingly consuming his life essence, the Bennett witch was simply breathtaking. Having that kind of thoughts towards her weirded him out and made him nervous and uncomfortable so the vampire was relieved when the moment was cut short. Bonnie looked a lot better now, she was less pale and the redness of her nose was gone. Still looking at her, he absently put his sleeve back in place.  
Bonnie didn't know what to say, so she immediately tested the control she had over her powers. When she tried to summon fire, many of the candles scattered throughout the living room lit up, but not all of them. Two candles remained as they were.

"My control isn't perfect yet," she observed, "but a locator spell should be no problem."

She left the living room for a moment and quickly came back with two maps and a dagger.

"I'm going to use your blood to look for Stefan," she explained after opening the first map on the table. It represented the United States of America. Damon gave her his hand without a word. He felt a stinging cut across his palm and saw Bonnie mumble in Latin. The raw power emanating from her was undeniable.  
The drops of blood that had fallen on the map slowly but surely traveled to Virginia and stopped exactly where Mystic Falls would have been.

"At least he's not very far," Bonnie told Damon.

The second time she performed the spell, on a map of Mystic Falls this time, the vampire's blood stopped in the middle of the woods, on the exact location of a lake. Damon's eyes narrowed.

"Stefan is underwater," he blankly stated.

Seeing the worry he hadn't voiced in his blue orbs, Bonnie let her hand rest over his. When Damon's surprised gaze met hers, she tried to reassure him.

"I'm sure he's okay. We're going to find him right now and bring him home."

Damon's eyes gave her a once-over and his signature smirk came back.

"You're going to need to change. Pajamas aren't exactly the proper attire to go rescue someone," he teased. Bonnie just blushed and went to her room to change into jeans.

As they drove, Bonnie stared at Damon from the corner of her eyes. He was calm and focused on the road. She'd never spent so much time alone with him, and his mind being elsewhere, she really looked at him. Considering the circumstances they always found themselves in, she'd never really given a second thought to the older vampire's appearance. Today, with the sun on his face and no smirk to fuel his bad boy vibe, he looked… handsome. The color of his blue eyes was simply beautiful and his jaw line was surprisingly attractive, Bonnie admitted to herself. Infuriating or not, Damon Salvatore was a very good-looking man. She'd never tell him, though, as his ego was already big enough. To change the direction of her thoughts, Bonnie occupied herself with the bottom edge of her light pink pajama top. She hadn't taken the time to change out of it as Stefan couldn't wait. Damon's voice cut the comfortable silence.

"You know, you can just say it, you wouldn't be the first and certainly not the last. It's my own burden to carry… I'm awfully attractive."

"Damon Salvatore. You. Are. Infuriating."

* * *

Stefan gaped at the sight of the most antagonistic pair of Mystic Falls _kissing_. Damon's arms lovingly held Bonnie's middle, one of his hands was resting on her very round belly while the other was on the small of her back. The dark-haired witch's hands were around his neck. Sensing his presence, the couple parted and exchanged small smiles before turning to Stefan.

"Hello, little brother," Damon greeted him with a smirk. The smile lacked the darkness it usually had, Stefan noted, and Damon looked genuinely happy. The last time Stefan had seen his brother that happy and relaxed, they were both human. It was as if he had the old, true Damon back, one that wasn't tainted with bitterness or a broken heart.

"Hey, Stefan!" Bonnie smiled. This Bonnie also looked much happier. She didn't look like the weight of the world was resting on her shoulders, and he didn't know whether it had anything to do with her pregnancy, but she was glowing. Happiness suited her: he'd never found Bonnie as pretty as he did in that moment. The Damon and Bonnie before him were in love, he realized. Seeing them holding hands, obviously crazy about each other made him think of the real Bonnie and Damon. The idea of those two together was novel to him, but now that he thought about, they'd make a good pair… Bonnie's fire matched Damon's ice. He would have loved to see his brother's reaction to that possibility… Damon would probably scoff at him, he thought fondly. Blinking back to the present, he said hello to the couple and the three of them sat down on the sofa. Stefan was still getting used to Bonnie pregnancy and Damon noticed.

"I know knowing and seeing are completely different," he smiled. "Your niece will be born in only two short months…" He lovingly rubbed his girlfriend's round belly and Bonnie's hand came to rest on his. A beautiful ring was adorning her finger. "… and we're getting married before that," Damon proudly said when he met Stefan's questioning gaze.

"Damon proposed yesterday," Bonnie added with a smile, "and we'd like to be husband and wife before the baby arrives. I know we're young, but we're already having a baby, and most importantly, we're in love!"

"You're going to be my best man of course," Damon added with a grin.  
"And Elena my maid of honor," Bonnie excitedly continued.

The couple looked so overjoyed and ecstatic to share their news, Stefan genuinely smiled and laughed out loud.

"Who else would be your best man? Congratulations to both of you! Bonnie, welcome to the family!"

In another universe, at the bottom of a lake, an unconscious and slightly desiccated Stefan Salvatore's lips twitched to form the smallest of smiles.

* * *

Pacing back and forth by the lake, Bonnie anxiously waited. Damon had taken most of his clothes off after wriggling his eyebrows to Bonnie and had stepped into the lake. As he walked, Bonnie saw his form disappear under the water… That had been twenty minutes ago. Preparing to also go in the water herself, Bonnie was startled when Damon surfaced, one of his hands holding a very pale and inanimate Stefan. His skin had taken an almost blue tint and he was showing signs a desiccation longer than the period of time he'd been missing, Bonnie noted as Damon carried him to the firm ground. Bonnie ran to the younger Salvatore as Damon got dressed in vampire speed.

"Stefan," she called. "Stefan!"

The vampire was dead to the world and showed no sign of consciousness. Damon still approached and tried to wake his brother, in vain.

"It's like he's in some sort of coma…" Bonnie trailed off. Both her and Damon were stupefied when Stefan's lips moved and formed a smile.

"Is he…?"

"He's dreaming," Bonnie said. "I should be able to find a spell and mindwalk into his dream, find out why he's not waking up… Let's go to my house first."

After carefully putting Stefan on the backseat and a quick call to Elena, vampire and witch drove off. Stefan was then wrapped in towels and deposited on Rudy's bed rather than Bonnie's after Damon protested that her room was too far and the improbable team sat beside the unconscious vampire.

"He's desiccating rather quickly," Bonnie worriedly noted. She grabbed her dagger and was going to cut her hand directly above the sleeping Stefan but Damon stopped her.

"You shouldn't bleed just for this," he calmly said. "Ask Elena to make a little detour and get a bag of blood from the Boarding House before she joins us, and we'll just research Stefan's condition while we wait."

He made the second call and Elena agreed. While Damon was studying another book, Bonnie was turning the pages of her grimoire. She thankfully found something rather quickly.

"_The black illusion spell_," Bonnie read aloud. "Plunges the victim in a sleep that is unbreakable without the use of magic. The victim doesn't particularly want to wake up from their sleep since they find themselves in their ideal world. The sleep eventually leads to death for the creation and continuation of the dream drains the victim of their energy."  
The small paragraph was followed by the instructions to cast the spell. Bonnie was surprised to see such a vicious spell on her grimoire. She was nonetheless happy to have this knowledge, especially when her eyes landed on the next paragraph.

"To break this spell," Damon straightened himself, "the victim must be aware of the curse that was cast on them and be led back by a witch or warlock who mindwalked at their own peril into the illusion. As the illusion drains whoever is a part of it of their energy and magic to sustain itself, the spell-breaker must act quickly and cast the following counter-spell while holding the hands of the victim."

The small sentence in Latin directly below would save Stefan. Bonnie looked at her vampire friend, whom she'd never seen so weak, and his brother, whose human side she was discovering. She'd seen how kind and understanding he could be, and how much he truly cared about Stefan, going by the worry in his eyes. And maybe, she thought, maybe he didn't actually hate her like she used to think she hated him…

"Going into the illusion is dangerous," Damon suddenly said. "You don't even have full control of your powers yet," he remarked.

"It will have to do, I have a feeling this could eventually do more than simply desiccating a vampire, and at this rate…"

"You could end up trapped yourself," he argued. "You agreed to help Stefan, not die for him." Was Damon actually… worried for her? "I'll find another witch."

Before she could reply, the doorbell rang. Bonnie opened the door to find a desperate Elena.

"Where is he?" she worriedly asked as she walked into her friend's house. She took out two blood bags as Bonnie answered. Both girls joined the Salvatore brothers, Elena ran up the stairs and Bonnie followed.

"Oh, Stefan," Elena sobbed, seeing the state of her boyfriend. She tried to feed him the blood with shaky hands but it didn't make a difference. "Please tell me you can help him, Bon," she said. The Gilbert girl looked broken-hearted. They'd had their ups and downs, but Elena and Stefan cared a lot about each other. Bonnie had never experienced it herself, but she thought that the couple seemed to be in love.

"I'll save him, Elena," Bonnie determinedly told her best friend. "I can do it. He's trapped in a dream world but I'll just go there and break him out of it," she explained.

"What Judgy isn't saying," both girls turned to the forgotten Damon, "is that she's going to put her life on the line and risk getting trapped there herself to eventually die."

Elena was already shaking her head and going to say no to Bonnie when the witch stopped her.

"It's my own choice, Lena. What good are my powers if I can't protect my friends? I can and will save him Elena, I promise."

At her words, Elena tearfully hugged her with the strength of a Mama Bear.

"Be careful, Bon," she said with a broken voice. "I can't lose you too!"

"I will," Bonnie smiled. She was the tiniest bit scared of going alone and getting lost, but the thought of Stefan dying and all the people he'd leave behind gave her strength.

"I'll go with you," Damon unexpectedly said. "If I can't stop you, I'll join you."

Bonnie wanted to refuse but he'd be a great help in finding Stefan. And maybe she'd feel safer with him, she admitted to herself. She nodded her okay and the vampire and the witch exchanged a smile of complicity. Elena blinked. One morning together with a shared goal could go a long way, she smiled. She'd known Damon wasn't as bad as he liked people to believe, so seeing him and Bonnie together and getting along was a good thing. Plus, she mischievously thought, they'd make a good, if intense, couple. Bonnie could give Damon aneurisms when needed and keep him in line, and maybe he could teach her that being a bit selfish once in a while wasn't that bad… They both deserved happiness and she thought that it would be great if they found it in each other. The thought of a double wedding suddenly made her giggle. Bonnie and Damon looked at her weirdly and she just stared back. "It's nothing," she affirmed with a slight shrug. Bonnie and Damon went back to the grimoire.

They were both learning two spells in Latin, one to go to the illusion, and the other to come back. Time would be of essence and the thought of forgetting the spell to come back filled Bonnie with dread. As if sensing her fear, Damon took her hand and, after locking his gaze with hers, recited both spells with a perfect Latin. She'd never thought it would happen, but Bonnie was thankful for Damon's presence. One day… Just one simple day had changed her view on the older vampire. Reciting them in head one last time, Bonnie nodded to herself.

"I'm ready."

* * *

Stefan was in front of a mirror, trying to fix his tie in vain when two knocks made him turn to his door.

"Need help?" his girlfriend asked with a smile. Having learned the meanings behind all of Elena's smiles as they got to know each other better and better, he determined this one to be the "how adorable" one.

"Yes," he admitted. Even at the age of eighteen and with many formal occasions under his belt, he hadn't mastered the art of properly wearing a tie. Elena approached him. She was a vision in her light blue dress and her hair was slightly curled.

"You look stunning," he told her. "Heaven must be missing their most beautiful angel…"

"Cheesy lines don't work on me, Mr. Salvatore." The pink in her cheeks betrayed her. He was falling for her more and more each day…

As she expertly handled the black tie, Elena continued speaking.

"I can't believe they're getting married today. I knew Bonnie was pregnant, and that Damon was going to be responsible dad but all of this happened so quickly… They could've just had the baby together but they are in love and tying the knot… I'm just so happy for them!"

She finished her handiwork and lightly tapped Stefan on the shoulder to tell she was done.

"And to think they used to hate each other only two years ago…" Stefan smiled at the memories. When they'd met, Bonnie and Damon couldn't stand each other. Damon Salvatore was some sort of Casanova, collecting girlfriends like Pokémons and, as mature as she was, Bonnie hadn't hesitated in making her disapproval of his womanizing ways known. Sparks had flown at the dinner Stefan and Elena had organized. The newly made couple had only wanted their respective families and close friends to know each other but the barely veiled insults Bonnie and Damon exchanged that evening unexpectedly put a slight damper to the get-together. He'd never seen Damon leave behind his charming persona while it was the first time Elena was witnessing Bonnie's open dislike of anyone. Fortunately, the evening ended with no major incident and Giuseppe and his wife Laura, Stefan's parents, approved of their son's new relationship while Miranda and Grayson had said their girl had found a true gentleman.

Some time down the road, Bonnie and Damon had learned to tolerate each other for Elena and Stefan's sake, and later started dating much to everyone's surprise. Bonnie's move to the Whitmore campus, where Damon was still living after recently completing his studies, only strengthened the bond between them, and here they were… Bonnie Bennett and Damon Salvatore's wedding day, and a baby on the way. Both were young but Stefan and Elena strongly believed the two belonged with each other and that their marriage would be a happy one.

Stefan put on the coat of his suit and followed Elena out of the room. The Boarding House, which hadn't served its original purpose for two generations, was lightly decorated with flowers for the occasion, and the small ceremony would take place in the garden that had been decorated accordingly.

Suddenly remembering something, he told Elena to go on and wait for him while he went to retrieve an important paper: his wishes to the couple. As the best man, he'd make a small speech later in the evening, before dinner, but he had yet to memorize the text he'd written. As he was opening the door, he heard two thumps in the rooms, followed by an "Ouch!". Curiosity piqued, he quickly entered, only to find-

"Bonnie? Damon? Aren't either of you getting ready? The ceremony is only in half an hour and neither of the groom or the bride are ready!" he exclaimed. The couple was dressed casually, Damon in a usual black attire while Bonnie was dressed in jeans and… was that a pajama top? They both exchanged a look and silently communicated in way he didn't even bother to try to decipher. Only the couple understood each other at these moments..

"Stefan," Bonnie said. "We're here to help you…"

"Help me? But," his eyes fell to her very flat abdomen."You're the one who needs help!" He sputtered like the teenage boy he was. "Where's the baby?"

"There is no baby, Stefan," Damon calmly said. "You're in a dream world," his eyes traveled to Bonnie, "where Witchy and I are getting married."

"Witchy" –because that girl definitely wasn't Bonnie just as the man wasn't Damon- looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Stefan, I know this is difficult to believe, but you're under a spell. Think back, aren't there instances where you thought things didn't add up? Has anything seemed weird to you recently?"

He knew he was talking to exact copies of his brother and soon-to-be sister-in-law, or maybe he'd simply lost his mind, but he somehow trusted the young woman. Her brown eyes were open and honest, just like those of the Bonnie Bennett he knew.  
He tried to think back, and stopped on a day a few weeks ago. Back then, he'd rediscovered a lot of things and had felt some people in his life weren't actually supposed to be there –not that they were unwelcome. Vicki, coach Tanner, Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert, Jenna… he'd felt as if they'd been away for a long time before and that he was seeing them again after a long while starting that day.

"I… I don't know," he finally said.

"Maybe you felt some things were missing," the Damon in front of him said. "Like your vampirism?"

"Witchy" -or maybe Bonnie, he didn't know anymore, gaped.

"He has a heartbeat," he explained.

Stefan concentrated on that particular day… It was a bit blurry now, but he'd thought that sunlight could harm him, that he didn't belong there, that maybe only Bonnie could help because-

"You're a witch," Stefan breathed. "And I'm a vampire, but here I don't need a daylight ring, I'm human."

It all started coming back to him: his childhood in the nineteenth century, growing up with his brother, Katherine, his darkest days and finally… Elena. He suddenly realized how foolish he'd been in forgetting how reality was, for forgetting _his_ Elena, the one who'd faced so much loss and who'd been hurt so many times, but always came out stronger.

"You remember," Damon said.

Stefan nodded.

"Let's go back then, we're being desiccated by the minute," his brother added with urgency.

"Hold my hands, both of you," Bonnie told the brothers. She took their hands in a strong grip and focused on her powers.

"_Et libera__nos ab hac inlusio_," the witch chanted in Latin. "_Et libera nos ab hac inlusio… __ET LIBERA NOS AB HAC INLUSIO!"_

* * *

In Bonnie Bennett's house, Stefan woke up with a gasp that startled Elena. Bonnie soon woke up in one of the armchairs near the window and was reassured when she saw Elena run to her very aware boyfriend with a blood bag. But when her gaze went to Damon…

"Damon," she called. "Damon!"

He was peacefully asleep, slowly desiccating. She'd lacked control on her magic when she'd cast the spell, she realized. She had failed Damon. Determined to save the vampire, she turned to Elena and a tired Stefan to tell them what she planned to do.

"I'm bringing him back," she said, her hands on Damon's temples.

* * *

When Bonnie and Stefan disappeared, leaving him alone in Stefan's room, Damon instantly knew what had happened. They'd gone back to the real world, to safety, while he'd accidentally been left behind in Stefan's dream world, or maybe it was becoming _his_ dream world as he saw little details shift. The furniture went back in time and now suited the era he was born in. He was now in his brother's room, exactly as it was just before Katherine came and ruined their lives.

"Damon?"

Bonnie was in the hallway and had seen him through the open door. She was wearing a beautiful green dress that enhanced the beauty of her unblemished skin. Her long dark hair fell to a little further than her shoulders in ringlets. She walked to him and took his hands in her smaller ones. The pair wore matching rings. She looked up and smiled lovingly at him. She was just so beautiful… The day he'd spent with Bonnie Bennett had probably gone to his head, he thought.

"What are you doing here in your brother's room, husband?" the woman teasingly asked.

"Nothing," he honestly said. Just as the illusion-fuelled Bonnie tiptoed to kiss him, a very much real and surprised Bonnie appeared beside him. He instantly pulled away before their lips could meet and turned to the real Bonnie.

"You're back," he said with surprise.  
"Yes, and what is that?" she countered, referring to her other self.  
"Nothing," Damon said with a dismissing voice, putting his acting skills to use. Bonnie scoffed and quickly took his hands.  
"Let's just go," she said. As she repeated the spell, they both disappeared.

* * *

When Bonnie opened her eyes, they immediately sought out Damon's. She let out a breath of relief when she saw him awake on the armchair beside hers. How had she-

"Stefan and I carried you there when you passed out," Elena answered to the question in her eyes.

Bonnie almost let herself fall back in the comfort of the cushions when she noticed the dark circles beneath Damon's eyes. He was also deathly pale and had difficulty breathing. The vampire hadn't spent that much more time in the illusion than her, but the dark spell had managed to drive him to the first stages of desiccation. He needed blood. Now.

Fighting her exhaustion, Bonnie stood and looked for a blood bag to offer. The very tired Stefan was already on his second one, and Elena had brought two… She approached Damon and casually lifted up a pink sleeve to offer her wrist. Damon needed her.

"Drink," she ordered. Damon's stupefaction was strong enough to become apparent despite the intense exhaustion. His lips couldn't form words but his tired gaze said it all.

_No._

The scene had also brought attention from Stefan and Elena's curious gazes, but Bonnie didn't care. She knew she was supposed to hate Damon Salvatore, they were polar opposites and he'd more often hurt people than save them while she was the self-appointed protector of Mystic Falls… but she cared about him. Despite everything he'd done, she was still able to see it, buried deep down inside. Under all the hurt, the pain and the bitterness, beneath the sarcasm and bad boy façade, Damon Salvatore was a decent man. He was sarcastic and mean, but also brave and caring. Since he'd given her his blood, she'd also give him hers. Fair was fair.

To his unvoiced reply, she just nicked herself with the dagger she'd placed on her grimoire and shoved her bloody wrist in his mouth. Damon groaned and started drinking, to Elena and Stefan's surprise. The scene taking place before their eyes was unexpected. Not having the strength to stand any longer, and the exhaustion lowering her inhibitions, Bonnie let herself go and simply sat on Damon's lap while Damon continued sipping. As she fought the lowering of her eyelids, she felt Damon's lips leave her wrist, and after a whispered "thank you", she tasted the coppery and peculiar flavor of blood on her lips.

Damon tiredly smiled as he saw her cut heal and held Bonnie tighter. His tiny witch was a fighter, he thought fondly. After hearing her heartbeat succumb to slumber, he soon fell asleep himself, Bonnie still on his lap.


End file.
